Last



Sept. 16, 1924.. 1,509,039

. I A.GODFREY 7 LAST Filed Dec. 29, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A.GODFREY LASTSept. 16 1924.

Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

ALEXANDER GODFREY, OF HAVERI-IILL, MASSACHUSETTS; ANNIE E. GODFREY ANDARTHUR C. MURPHY, BOTH 0F HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, EXECUTORS OF SAIDALEXANDER GODFREY, DECEASED.

LAST.

Application filed December 29, 1922. Serial No. 609,755.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER GODFREY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Haverhill, in the county of Essex andCommonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Lasts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lasts for use in the manufacture of boots andshoes, and more particularly to that class commonly known as two-partcollapsible or hinged lasts.

The present invention is an improvement on an invention, the patentapplication for which was filed by me July 20, 1921 Ser- No. 486214.

An object of the present invention is to produce a last of the aboveclass, the hinge portions of which are simple in structure, cheap tomanufacture, easy to assemble, and when assembled, affords a hinge thatis durable, being capable of receiving hard usage because of the absenceof delicate and easily disarranged parts.

A further object of the invention is to produce a hinge mechanism of fewparts which has co-acting therewith, a locking means so arranged as tobe neatly hidden from view, and possible accidental unlocking, and yeteasily accessible to unlock, when the proper tool or instrument is used.

It is an object of the invention, to so locate the locking means, as toeconomize in the number of parts used, and in the labor to produce theparts, and particularly to obtain the maximum strength to oppose thetendency of the last to collapse when under working conditions.

Theinvention further consists in certain novel features of constructionand arrangement of parts which will be fully understood from adescription of the drawings and the claims hereinafter given.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a last shown in extendedposition.

Figure 2 a view similar to Figure 1 partially broken away showing thehinge members and locking device in elevation.

Figure 3 a view similar to Figure 2, but

showing the last as collapsed.

Figure 4: a detail in plan View of the hinge members and locking deviceassemlloled as in Figure 2 but removed from the ast.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 detail views of the hinge members and locking device,in side elevation as seen in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings: i

The last 10 which is or may be of the deslred size and shape, iscomposed of a forepart 11 and a heel 'part 12 arranged to be swungtoward and from each other, first to be shortened for insertion into, orremoval from a shoe and second to be lengthened or extended when in theshoe and posi tively locked in such position during the varlousoperations incident to shoe making.

It is an object of the present invention to provide certain devices,which when com-- do so. It is further required that these parts ordevices be few in number and of considerable strength and durability.With this end in view the hinge members herein are composed ofcomparatively thin, yet strong metallic plate like parts, one of which13 is rigidly secured to the fore part 11 in a slot 14:, therein, whilethe other 15 is likewise firmly secured in a slot 16 of the heel part12. The part 13 is held in the slot by the pins 17 and 18, and the part15 is held by the pins 19 and 20. Both of these parts protrude beyondtheir respective slots, each entering the slot of the other, thepart15,- having a portion thereof 21 in which is a curved slot 22 throughwhich the pin 18 passes and by which, swinging'movement of 2 1 of thepart 13 and in so doing aids in guiding the heel part during itsswinging movements, and in pressure resisting strength when the last isextended and .in use.

Preferably the slots 22 and 24 are struck from'radii with a centerlocated below the planeof the bottom of the heel, but it will beunderstood that this invention contem plates the movement of the heelpart in a curved or straight path, as well as a circular one as shown.

While the principal function of the plate 13 is to slidingly secure thepart 15 and consequently the heel part 12 to the fore part 11, it is ofsuch arrangement that it also conveniently functions as one member of alooking means. Pivotally mounted on the pin 20 is a locking latch 25having an end 26 so shaped as to snugly abut the upper edge of the part13 at 27, the said abutting surfaces being cut on an arc, the center ofwhich coincides with the center of the pin 20. The said latch 25 has afinger like extension 28, which overlaps the part 13, to limit itsmovement by the spring 29, which normally acts to maintain the saidlatch in its locked position shown in Figure 2.

The arrangement of the latch 25 relatively to the part 13, is such thatpressure, tending to collapse the last when in extended posi tion, isresisted chiefly by the pins 17 and 20 as the main receivers thereof.The said pressure is transmitted from one pin to the other, through asolid portion of the part 13, and approximately lengthwise of the latch,in such manner that the pressure is transmitted along the line ofgreatest strength of the parts involved.

The above arrangement conveniently places the latch in such a position,that it is protected from accidental disengagement with the part 13, andit is also conveniently placed so that an extension 30, thereof, maycontact with a spindle, not shown, adapted to enter the socket 31 whenthe last is placed thereon to remove the shoe therefrom. It is obviousthat when the last is adjusted to the last removing ack having the saidspindle, the latch will be disengaged from the part 13 and the lastcollapsed and the shoe removed. Obviously too, a hand tool may be usedto the same effect if so desired.

When the last with a shoe thereon is placed on a jack wth a shortspindle, not shown, entering the socket 31, and a toe or fore partsupport, pressure at that time brought to bear between the two points ofsupport will be resisted by the pin 18 at the end of the slot 22 and thestud 23 at the end of the slot 2-1.

Pressure resistance at this time is also aided by the structure of thefore and heel parts at the junction thereof, particularly the part 35which overlaps the knuckle like rearward extension 36 of the forepart,see Figure 1, which effectively prevents movement of the heel part inthe direction of the arrow a, about the pivotal center 0, which islocated at approximately the point indicated in the drawings. As amatter of economy in the manufacture of the above explained devices, itwill be understood that it is the intention to make them of such size,that they may be assembled wit-h various sizes and styles of lasts.

It will also be understood that it is not the intention to limit theinvention to the precise construction and arrangement herein shown asthe same may be changed without departing from its spirit and scope.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. In a last of the class described, the combination of a two part lastadapted to be hinged, the pivotal center of which is lo cated below aplane intersecting the toe and heel tips; of a hinge comprising a memberfast with the fore part in a slot provided therefor, and a member fastin a slot of the heel part; means to fasten each of said mem bers in itsrespective slot, said first member having a slot therein adapted to beentered by a stud projecting from said second member; said second memberhaving a slot parallel to the slot of said first member and adapted tobe entered by one of the fastening devices of said first member, saidslots and said stud and fastening device being the means to retain saidfore and heel parts in operative relation; a latch pivotally mounted onone of the fastening devices for said second member adapted to coactwith said first member to lock the last in extended position; means tonormally retain said latch in locking position; and means to disengagesaid latch from said first member when said last is to be collapsed.

2. In a last of the class described, the combination of a two part lastadapted to be hinged the pivotal center of which is located below theplane of the bottom of the heel and forward of the dividing line of thetwo parts; of a hinge comprising a member fast in the fore part in aslot provided therefor, and a member fast in a slot of the heel part;means co-acting with each of said members, whereby said fore and heelparts are retained in operative relation; and a locking means locatedwithin said heel part adapted to co-act with said first member to lockthe last in extended position.

3. In a last of the class described, the combination of two part lastadapted to be hinged the pivotal center of which is located below theplane of the bottom of the heel and forward of the dividing line of thetwo parts; of a hinge con'iprising a member fast in the fore part inslot provided therefore, and a member fast in a slot of the heel part,each member extending into the slot of the other; and a latch adapted toco-act with said first member to lock the last in extended position;said latch being so located and arranged within said heel part, that thestrain incident to pressure tending to collapse the last when locked inextended position, is received by said latch in approximately thedirection of the length of said latch.

4C. In a last of the class described, the combination of a two part lastadapted to be hinged the pivotal center of which is located below theplane of the bottom of the heel and forward of the dividing line of thetwo parts; of a hinge comprising a. member fast with the fore part in aslot provided therein; a member fast in a slot of the heel part; meanswhereby each of said members aid in maintaining operative relationshipbetween said fore and heel parts; and a latch adapted to co-act with oneof said members to hold said last in extended position; said latch beingarranged approximately tangential to the point of contact with saidco-acting member, whereby strain imparted to said latch is received inthe direction of its greatest strength; means tonormally retain saidlatch in engagement with said co -acting member; and means to cause saidlatch to disengage from said member.

5. In a last of the class described, the combination of a two-part lastadapted to be hinged; of a hinge comprising a member fast in aslot ofthe fore part and a member fast in the slot of the heel part, each ofsaid parts entering the slot of the other; each of said members having aslot therein parallel to that of the other; pins securing said firstmember to said fore part, one of which passes through the slot of saidsecond memer; a stud projecting from said second member into the slot ofsaid first member; pins securing said second member to said heel part;a. latch pivotally mounted on one of said pins and adapted to co -actwith said first member to lock the last in extended position; means todisengage said latch from said first member; and a rearward extension ofsaid fore part adapted to form an abutment for a projection of said heelpart.

6. In a last of the class described, the combination of a two-part lastadapted to be collapsed, of a member fast in a slot of the forepart, anda member fast in a slot of the heel part, each of said members enteringthe slot of the other member; each of said members having a slot thereinparallel to that of the other; pins securing said first member to saidfore part, one of which passes through the slot of said second member; astud pro- 'jectin from said second member into the slot of said firstmember; pins securing said second member to said heel part; a latchpivotally mounted on one of said pins, and

adapted to coact with said first member :to

walls of which have aligned slots therein; a

member rigidly secured to the heel part, and extending into the slot ofthe fore part; a

member rigidly secured to the fore part and' extending into the slot ofthe heel part means to'secure each of said members in its respectivepart, said first member having a slot therein adapted to coact withsecuring means for said second member; said second member having a slottherein adapted to coact with a pin projecting from said first member,said slots and coacting securing means and pin being arranged toslidingly retain said parts in operative relationship, said slots beingparallel to the line of collapsing movement of said parts; a latch insaid heel part pivotally mounted on securing means for said firstmember, said latch being housed within said heel part, and having arearwardly extending tail portion, and adapted to engage said secondmember when the last is in extended position; a jack post socket in saidheel portion, the inner open end of which is in communication with saidslot in said heel portion, whereby provision is made for said tailportion to extend into the path of a jack post; and means to normallyforce said latch into engaging position.

pivotal center of which is located below a plane intersecting the toeand heel tips and forward of the dividing line of the toe and heel partsand having a fore part and a heel a s5 8. In a last adapted to becollapsed, the

part, each of which has a member fast thereto, adapted to overlap theother member, said members being arranged side by side, and beingprovided with means to slidingly retain said parts in operativerelationship;

'and'a locking latch mounted in one of said parts and adapted to coactwith the member of the other part to lock said parts in extendedposition.

Signed by me at Boston, Mass, this first day of December, 1922.

ALEXANDER GODFREY;

